Letter from CSI athletic director to Coeur d'Alene Press

Congratulations to both of the Scenic West Athletic Conference representatives for their recent performances at the NJCAA National Volleyball Tournament in West Plains, Mo. North Idaho’s eighth-place finish and CSI’s National Championship are testimony to the strength of the conference and the rivalries that push us to these levels of excellence.

But even more impressive than the play, was the sportsmanship that these two teams displayed over the course of the tournament. Each team attended, cheered and supported each other through the tournament. Each team became each other’s best fans, and coaches cooperated with each other on scouting reports and game planning.

The night of the championship game, many of North Idaho’s players attended wearing black and gold face paint to cheer on CSI to the national championship.

Congratulations to Coach Kandace Gregorak and Coach Cartisser not only on their impressive finishes at the national tournament, but on the messages that they passed on to their teams. The class and affiliation between the schools representing the region was impressive.

During games when both teams played, the chant of IDAHO, IDAHO….rang through the Missouri gym. Without the North or South Idaho designation, simply "Idaho" became the battle cry that brought these two rival teams together and pushed them to new heights. It is one of those special moments in sports that I will never forget.